2021 F150 vs F250

[Grassland]

That fuel economy makes me cringe, until I remember how heavy and brick like that truck is. Could probably squeak a bit better if it had the 3.73.

Let's go back to the year 2000 and tell people a gasser 3/4 ton can tow and haul those numbers and push 15 mpg highway in 2021 and get laughed at in disbelief (edit)

 

[jadmt]

the truck has like 600 miles on it so I think 14.6 mpg at 75mph is pretty good. If you have ever been near Great Falls the wind blows like crazy.

 

[Chorky]

so today I went with my buddy to Great falls to pick up an ARE topper so about 400 mile round trip. hand figured mpg was 14.6 which is what the truck's computer said. engine, tranny and 4.30 gears are a wonderful combination. If my PW were an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 I would give this combo a 10+. very nice 75mph just under 2K very relaxed but no hunting for gears always felt in a perfect power band. sound in the cab was great exhaust wise. It was very windy coming back and a little more wind noise than my truck but not terrible. Some of the truck's warning bells and chimes that seem to last way to long when starting were somewhat annoying and I am guessing there is a way to shut them off or at least shorten them. It of course was a bit rougher riding than mine but has 2X the payload. his tires were at 45/40psi probably could drop a little more. All and all very nice. he got lucky and found an ARE topper for $1200 and going to cost him $700 to color match it locally so with the $80 of gas he has a really nice topper for under $2000.

Although that's not great mileage, its a big truck, with a gas engine. Are you going for a sales pitch because I'm digging it so far. Any guess what he would get with it loaded? Like with a camper?

 

[Todd780]

so today I went with my buddy to Great falls to pick up an ARE topper so about 400 mile round trip. hand figured mpg was 14.6 which is what the truck's computer said.

Yeah, I've found my computer to be pretty accurate. A lie--meter it is not. I stopped bothering hand calculating mileage years ago.

 

[Todd780]

Although that's not great mileage, its a big truck, with a gas engine.

It's not even broken in yet though. Plus it was windy. I barely get better than that in my 5.0L powered 2015 F150 now.

 

[jadmt]

Although that's not great mileage, its a big truck, with a gas engine. Are you going for a sales pitch because I'm digging it so far. Any guess what he would get with it loaded? Like with a camper?

no idea.

 

[jadmt]

It's not even broken in yet though. Plus it was windy. I barely get better than that in my 5.0L powered 2015 F150 now.

Ditto I thought that was excellent mpg.

 

[Todd780]

Ditto I thought that was excellent mpg.

I did the MPG to litre per 100 conversion and I'm getting about 2 MPG better while typically driving about 65 mph with cruise set on my daily commute....

Not a big difference 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton. Especially given the weather conditions and that the truck isn't broken in yet.

 

[Tex68w]

For what it's worth, I've never really seen much of a difference in mileage after it's considered "broken in".

 

[stevo_pct]

What are your thoughts on the 4.3 gear set versus the 3.73 gearset for the F250 with the 7.3L gasser?

I'm looking to upgrade to an F250 for the purpose of carrying a pop up slide in camper. So I need the extra payload of an F250 (compared to the F150 I have now), but I don't need a lot of extra power for towing a heavy trailer. I do live in Colorado and do a lot of travelling over high mountain passes. Would the 3.73 gear set still provide plenty of torque? It would be nice to have the extra 2 mpg of the 3.73 gearset over the 4.3 gearset (if it really is that much of an improvement in mpg). But I wouldn't want to sacrifice power/torque on hills with a camper. But maybe the 7.3L with even with the 3.73 gearset has more than enough power/torque if towing isn't the main concern.

 

[jadmt]

For what it's worth, I've never really seen much of a difference in mileage after it's considered "broken in".

same here. maybe a smidgeon better but not much. I thought 14.6 was really good and anybody who has been on that route with the wind would understand.

 

[jadmt]

What are your thoughts on the 4.3 gear set versus the 3.73 gearset for the F250 with the 7.3L gasser?

I'm looking to upgrade to an F250 for the purpose of carrying a pop up slide in camper. So I need the extra payload of an F250 (compared to the F150 I have now), but I don't need a lot of extra power for towing a heavy trailer. I do live in Colorado and do a lot of travelling over high mountain passes. Would the 3.73 gear set still provide plenty of torque? It would be nice to have the extra 2 mpg of the 3.73 gearset over the 4.3 gearset (if it really is that much of an improvement in mpg). But I wouldn't want to sacrifice power/torque on hills with a camper. But maybe the 7.3L with even with the 3.73 gearset has more than enough power/torque if towing isn't the main concern.

after doing 400 miles there is no way in hell I would get 3.73's vs the 4..30's. 4.30's felt perfect and that was with stock tires (tires are like actual 33" maybe a tad taller) put any bigger on and you really would wish for 4.30's. You will never get cheaper gears than when ordering them from the factory. I seriously doubt under real world driving there is going to be 2mpg difference might actually get worse with 3.73 and for sure would not have that awesome drivability. when given a change I will always go with the deepest gear set from the factory...I wish I could have gotten my ram pw with 4.30's.

 

[Grassland]

Isn't the first gear super low on the 10RXXX the SD uses, as it's based off the 10R80?
For off road or from a start it would mitigate the taller final ratio.
And isn't this the point of having ten gears in a transmission now? To be able to keep the truck in power band at different speeds?
Historically I'd also lean towards the steepest gear available because you generally don't ever put smaller than stock sizes tires on, usually larger.
But with the price of fuel now I'm half seriously considering putting OEM tires back on my truck. Which would have me considering 3.73 on a hypothetical super duty

 

[Explorerinil]

Isn't the first gear super low on the 10RXXX the SD uses, as it's based off the 10R80?
For off road or from a start it would mitigate the taller final ratio.
And isn't this the point of having ten gears in a transmission now? To be able to keep the truck in power band at different speeds?
Historically I'd also lean towards the steepest gear available because you generally don't ever put smaller than stock sizes tires on, usually larger.
But with the price of fuel now I'm half seriously considering putting OEM tires back on my truck. Which would have me considering 3.73 on a hypothetical super duty

I’ve heard a stock super duty (non tremor) with a 7.3 and 3:73 gear set will get about 2 mpg better, mostly has to do with the truck sitting lower, smaller road tires, large front bumper spoiler and some has to do with the gear set. I can’t verify this, but I’ve been told this from several super duty owners. Dont expect great mpg out of such a large truck with the aerodynamics of a brick. My truck has gotten better mpg now that it has some miles on it, I average around 14, which isn’t bad for a large truck with a factory lift and 35’s.

 

[Explorerinil]

What are your thoughts on the 4.3 gear set versus the 3.73 gearset for the F250 with the 7.3L gasser?

I'm looking to upgrade to an F250 for the purpose of carrying a pop up slide in camper. So I need the extra payload of an F250 (compared to the F150 I have now), but I don't need a lot of extra power for towing a heavy trailer. I do live in Colorado and do a lot of travelling over high mountain passes. Would the 3.73 gear set still provide plenty of torque? It would be nice to have the extra 2 mpg of the 3.73 gearset over the 4.3 gearset (if it really is that much of an improvement in mpg). But I wouldn't want to sacrifice power/torque on hills with a camper. But maybe the 7.3L with even with the 3.73 gearset has more than enough power/torque if towing isn't the main concern.

I think you will be fine with 3:73’s… the TFL truck “super tremor” had 3:73 gears, 37 inch tires and it did fine in Colorado with an in bed camper. I got to admit, I prefer my 7.3 with 4:30 gears, tons of power and always in the right rpm range.